Trump threat that led to Air Force One switch not verified, sources say
FILE-President Donald Trump speaks with the media aboard Air Force One shortly after departure from Mildenhall Air Force Base in the United Kingdom, after he switched from the old VC-25A Air Force One to the newer VC-25B Bridge Air Force One, enroute
The Washington Post reported in an Aug. 11 story that following the NATO summit in July, Trump secretly flew out of Ankara, Turkey on an alternate military aircraft because of Iranian assassination threats against him.
United States intelligence officials were unable to independently verify warnings from Israel to the U.S. in the past year that Iran allegedly planned to assassinate President Donald Trump, including before a secret Air Force One maneuver in
Turkey, Reuters reported, citing a current U.S. official and two ex-officials. The warnings reportedly involved potential plots to shoot Trump with a sniper or recruit an individual to attack him with a knife at a public event, a source told Reuters.
Tips on the possible attack against Trump started to circulate leading up to the 12-day war in June 2025 and heightened before the U.S. decided to engage in a war with Iran in February, according to a Reuters source.
RELATED: Trump used catering truck, decoy flight to avoid Iran threat as he flew out of Turkey: Report
Officials told Reuters that the most elaborate warning was made before the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey in July.
Israeli officials informed the White House about intelligence that suggested Iran may attempt to assassinate Trump, possibly with a shoulder-launched missile, while he traveled on Air Force One for the NATO summit, Reuters noted.
A Turkish official told Reuters that the country's intelligence agencies did not have evidence to support Israel’s assertion about a threat to Trump's life.
Trump secretly flew out of NATO summit in Turkey
The backstory:
President Donald Trump secretly flew out of last month's NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on an alternate military aircraft while the White House made it seem that he was flying on Air Force One, according to an Aug. 11 report published by The Washington Post on Aug. 11.
According to The Washington Post, the operation was spurred by an Iranian assassination threat against Trump. The ruse was carried out as journalists and some White House staff members were under the impression they were aboard the same plane as Trump as he started his trip back to Washington, D.C. from the annual gathering of NATO country leaders.
The Post cited material reviewed by the newspaper, a U.S. official familiar with the operation and another person with knowledge of the president’s travel. The Associated Press and FOX Local did not independently confirm the report.
Trump flew to the summit in a new Qatari-gifted and retrofitted jet, but before departing Turkey, Trump said he would fly partway home on an older-model Air Force One plane instead, while the new Air Force One was flown out ahead of his departure from Ankara to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom to give some U.S. troops based there a chance to check out the new Air Force One.
In Ankara, Trump boarded the old Air Force One jumbo jet in view of television cameras ahead of the plane flying to the United Kingdom.
But according to the Post report, after Trump boarded the legacy Air Force One jet, he was secretly shuttled minutes later to a smaller plane — an Air Force C-32A — via an airport catering truck typically used to load meals and other supplies. He then flew on the smaller jet to Mildenhall.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by Reuters, previous FOX Local reporting, and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.